CARITAS CHRISTI URGET NOS (2 Cor. 5,14)
HOMILY
AT THE GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION
OF THE FOUNDATION OF
DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE LOVE CONGREGATION (DDL)
Enugu, 9 November 2019
BY MOST REV. DENIS CHIDI ISIZOH
Auxiliary Bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese
GOD MOVES IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS/His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea / And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines / Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs / And works His sovereign will.
His purposes will ripen fast, / Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, / But sweet will be the flower
He plants His footsteps in the sea / And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines / Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs / And works His sovereign will.
His purposes will ripen fast, / Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, / But sweet will be the flower
1. INTRODUCTION
It was in our second term in school, I was in Primary Six. One day the manager of our school, an Irish Priest, walked into our classroom and introduced a book, entitled Our Strange gods. The Priest told us that, guided by our teacher, we should read the book from cover to cover and then prepare ourselves to answer questions from it. The author of this book was Bishop Godfrey Mary Paul Okoye C.S.Sp., then Bishop of Port Harcourt. It turned out to be his second Pastoral letter as a Bishop. The book was printed with some questions after each chapter. Answers to these questions were superscript-numbered in the book. Being in a typical interior village school, we did not know enough English to follow the author’s sequence of thoughts. Moreover, the theological terms used in the book were too high for us to understand. At our level, it was a tough homework to do. We were nervous. But we did not get the opportunity to face the examination because the Nigerian civil war interrupted our class sessions. That book served, even if indirectly, as my first contact with the founder of this great Congregation of Daughters of Divine Love whose golden jubilee celebration of its foundation has brought all of us together from far and near. Of course, I had many other occasions to see Bishop GMP Okoye before his death.
2. INITIA MULTARUM RERUM SUNT PARVA
Who would have imagined fifty years ago that a day of celebration like this would come when this large number of persons inside this Church would gather together in one place, people from all works of life, very many distinguished persons, men and women of “timbre and calibre” — that special expression I heard first from the great K.O. Mbadiwe — Many persons are here because the activities of the Daughters of Divine Love impacted their lives. We are here in this Church to express our gratitude to God for the miracle which the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Love has become.
We remember that simple but veritable Latin expression. “Initia multarum rerum sunt parva”. Yes, indeed, the beginnings of many things are small.
As the story goes: it was in 1967, what had started as Nigeria-Biafra war, ended later in 1970 as a Nigerian civil war. By 1969 most parts of the then Biafra territory were overrun by the soldiers on the other side of the battle. In the then little-known town called Ukpor, now in Nnewi diocese but was that time part of Onitsha archdiocese, Bishop Godfrey Mary Paul Okoye C.S.Sp., was living there as a refugee. This Bishop, former Rector of All Hallows Seminary Onitsha under Archbishop Charles Heerey, later after joining the Holy Ghost Fathers Congregation became the Bishop of Port Harcourt. A man full of ideas, with great love for evangelization, “Persons’ Bishop”, compassionate with very large heart, this great pastor during that war was busy in 1969 helping other refugees displaced from their homes needing food and medical attention. He gathered around him helpers to reach out to the needy. He had inspiration to found an institute that would help to spread God’s love in the world.
We are lucky that very many persons who were Bishop GMP Okoye’s active collaborators are still alive and most of them are present here for this celebration. They can tell us more about this period of history.
3. FIRST VOCATIONS
During that sojourn in Ukpor in 1969, with the support of some of his friends, Bishop G.M.P. Okoye started gathering around him some girls, who were at different levels of education, to form the foundation members of the new institute. Philomena Udora who later became Mother Ifechukwu Udora (first Superior General of the Congregation, who was elected even when on temporary vows and a student in a university) was one of these members. Anastasia Uwalaka who later became Mother Angela Uwalaka (the second Superior General was a University graduate) was another. There were those who had come from secondary schools and others who had just completed or were in primary schools who joined this new Institute. It was a mixture of girls of different classes. Most of them wanted to live religious life but without clear idea of how to go about it. They were simply “raw materials” that would need master hand to shape into usable products.
4. OVERCOMING THE EARLY CHALLENGES
The war which started on 6 July 1967 ended formally on 15 January 1970. At the end of hostilities, those who were displaced during the civil war made their way back to their homes. The Catholic Bishops affected soon returned to their Sees, except two: Bishop John Cross Anyogu of Enugu, who died on 5 July 1967 (a day before the war began), and Bishop Godfrey Okoye who was no longer welcomed back to Port Harcourt after the war. Most of us know about the problem of the so-called “abandoned property” in the Rivers State after the civil war. Probably, the new institute Bishop GMP Okoye was founding was for Port Harcourt diocese. But now without an Episcopal See Bishop Okoye had to abandon himself to Divine Providence. About three months after the war, precisely on 7 March 1970, he was appointed Bishop of Enugu. He went to Enugu with his daughters. It was not easy to find his feet in the new place and to settle his daughters. Being a great visionary, he had already sent out two Sisters to Italy to prepare them as formators. These two Benedictine nuns after helping to establish the Daughters of Divine Love Congregation, became founders of two great Benedictine monasteries in Umuoji and Amorji Nike. On 4 November 1973, Bishop Okoye rolled out the first Daughters of Divine Love.
5. TRAGEDY: DEATH OF FOUNDER – BISHOP GMP OKOYE
Four years down the road, 17 March 1977, Bishop GMP Okoye suddenly died. It was at the time the members of his new Congregation were preparing for the highest number of novices for profession that this happened. No money left, no permanent abode built, no clear arrangement for the future, only six years plus as Bishop of Enugu, no clear line of relationship between the diocese and the new Congregation. As if that was not enough, the temporary building that sheltered the Daughters collapsed. They had to be moved to make-shift accommodation at Thinkers’ Corner. The future looked bleak. Some friends recommended that the Daughters of Divine Love institute disband and join other existing Congregations.
6. THE LOVE OF CHRIST COMPELS US
The Daughters decided to stick together and weather the storm. They remembered that biblical passage which their founder wrote on the sanctuary wall of his chapel in Port Harcourt and which he eventually gave as the motto of the Institute: “Caritas Christi urget nos”. It is the love of Christ that must push them forward to face the challenges of living out the spiritual legacy which their founder wanted to pass on to them. With St Paul the Daughters had the boldness to ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…. (N)either death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Rom. 8,35.37-39). In the coming years, the Daughters must go on sowing the seeds of God’s love wherever they find themselves.
7. GENEROSITY OF FRIENDS
For the first profession immediately after the death of Bishop Okoye, which took place on 10 December 1977, many people rallied round to support. The Daughters with grateful hearts remember that Archbishop (now Cardinal) Francis Arinze, the then Metropolitan of the whole Eastern Nigeria, gave them One Thousand Pounds sterling, the Immaculate Heart Sisters Congregation gave them the cloth material for the habit, the Catholic Men and Women Organisations of Enugu diocese came out and gave them huge support. On the day of profession, Bishops Joseph Ukpo and Lucas Nwezeapu officiated and assured them of their support. The government of Governor Jim Nwobodo eventually gave them a piece of land they can today call their own.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, dear Children of God, from about 70 Daughters when Bishop GMP Okoye died, the Congregation has grown to over 900 members. The Daughters themselves described their experience: “clutching on the oars of the God of love and Divine Providence, we were able to surf the crest of the overwhelming storms of the past.” This is a miracle before our eyes! And when you ask, what is making these women respond in large numbers to serve the Lord, their answer has always been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos.
The generosity of individuals and groups has kept on flowing to the Daughters. I doubt if they will be able to have accurate record of the names of all their supporters. Today and always they present these their benefactors and benefactresses around the world to the Lord. May God bless these great men and women who have helped the Daughters to spread Christ’s love in the world.
8. IN THANKSGIVING FOR THE GIFT OF THE D.D.L.
In the words of Isaiah, which we heard in today’s first reading, we join the Daughters to “recount the merciful love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted” them, “and the great goodness…which He has granted them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of His steadfast love” (Is. 63,7-9).
We rejoice because the Daughters of this great institute of God’s love have made the Church visible in many parts of the world through their varied apostolates: Education, Healthcare, Rehabilitation, Pastoral work, Social work, Culinary and Liturgical arts, and Hospitality centers. In our country, the Daughters are present in almost all the archdioceses and dioceses of Nigeria. Outside, they are present in the following countries: Austria, Cameroon, Chad, Cuba, England, France, Gabon, Germany, Haiti, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mali, Scotland, Switzerland and the United States of America. Why are the Daughters in these places? Their answer has always been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. The Daughters go to places where the manifestation of God’s love is needed.
We thank the Lord for the gift of this living Institute of God’s love. Umu Titi Bishop Okoye have distinguished themselves as the first Congregation that initiated self-help —the practice of non-employment of domestic staff in the convents. They do the cooking and all the house chores themselves and they serve one another in their convents. Why do they devote time to one another? Their answer has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. Christ came to serve and not to be served. They must manifest God’s love in their convents because it is needed there.
The Daughters are found in slums and areas of primary evangelization. When they are invited or they themselves are directed to new areas of apostolate, they do not negotiate terms that make them stay in comfort, as some religious Congregations here in Nigeria do. Sometimes they accept to work without favourable “deals”.
They are among the first Congregations in Nigeria that developed projects to support themselves. We remember the DRACCs and BORACC, and similar projects. Like St Paul, the tent maker (Acts 18,3), they do not want to bring extra burden on the people. One may ask: Why? Their reply has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos.
In commitment to the land of their mission, the Daughters have a lesson to teach others. In most Congregations in Nigeria, when a member dies in a foreign land, the remains are repatriated. In the case of the Daughters of Divine Love, a missionary “rests in peace” among her people in the mission land. Sr Oluchi Obikwelu was buried in Cuba; Sr Theresa Ihejiagwa and Sr Udochukwu Odoemena were both buried in USA. May the souls of these Daughters buried in foreign land and the souls of all the departed Daughters of Divine Love through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace. Amen. These are heroines of the Nigerian Church. We make our contribution to the mission. We are tenacious. We are committed. And when we ask the Daughters why they are so committed in the place of their mission, their answer has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. In manifesting this Christ’s love, the Daughters offer all to God, including their lifeless bodies.
9. LOOKING FORWARD
Beloved Daughters, fifty years have swiftly passed. We thank the Lord. You have weathered many storms. Please take note. As we move forward in the mission of the Church in the world, our Lord Jesus Christ assures us of reward of hard work but does not promise a life of comfort. His Cross is always before us. We are assured that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Mat. 11,30) In the next fifty years, with more members joining your Congregation, I recommend that you prepare yourselves very well by constantly reflecting on how best to handle
10. IN PRAYER
Our prayer is that the Lord who has called you to this apostolate, may grant you all the graces that you may need in order to remain truly instruments of Christ’s abiding love on earth. May your founder, the great Bishop GMP Okoye, intercede for you. May his words continue to inspire and lead you on. Amen.
It was in our second term in school, I was in Primary Six. One day the manager of our school, an Irish Priest, walked into our classroom and introduced a book, entitled Our Strange gods. The Priest told us that, guided by our teacher, we should read the book from cover to cover and then prepare ourselves to answer questions from it. The author of this book was Bishop Godfrey Mary Paul Okoye C.S.Sp., then Bishop of Port Harcourt. It turned out to be his second Pastoral letter as a Bishop. The book was printed with some questions after each chapter. Answers to these questions were superscript-numbered in the book. Being in a typical interior village school, we did not know enough English to follow the author’s sequence of thoughts. Moreover, the theological terms used in the book were too high for us to understand. At our level, it was a tough homework to do. We were nervous. But we did not get the opportunity to face the examination because the Nigerian civil war interrupted our class sessions. That book served, even if indirectly, as my first contact with the founder of this great Congregation of Daughters of Divine Love whose golden jubilee celebration of its foundation has brought all of us together from far and near. Of course, I had many other occasions to see Bishop GMP Okoye before his death.
2. INITIA MULTARUM RERUM SUNT PARVA
Who would have imagined fifty years ago that a day of celebration like this would come when this large number of persons inside this Church would gather together in one place, people from all works of life, very many distinguished persons, men and women of “timbre and calibre” — that special expression I heard first from the great K.O. Mbadiwe — Many persons are here because the activities of the Daughters of Divine Love impacted their lives. We are here in this Church to express our gratitude to God for the miracle which the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Love has become.
We remember that simple but veritable Latin expression. “Initia multarum rerum sunt parva”. Yes, indeed, the beginnings of many things are small.
As the story goes: it was in 1967, what had started as Nigeria-Biafra war, ended later in 1970 as a Nigerian civil war. By 1969 most parts of the then Biafra territory were overrun by the soldiers on the other side of the battle. In the then little-known town called Ukpor, now in Nnewi diocese but was that time part of Onitsha archdiocese, Bishop Godfrey Mary Paul Okoye C.S.Sp., was living there as a refugee. This Bishop, former Rector of All Hallows Seminary Onitsha under Archbishop Charles Heerey, later after joining the Holy Ghost Fathers Congregation became the Bishop of Port Harcourt. A man full of ideas, with great love for evangelization, “Persons’ Bishop”, compassionate with very large heart, this great pastor during that war was busy in 1969 helping other refugees displaced from their homes needing food and medical attention. He gathered around him helpers to reach out to the needy. He had inspiration to found an institute that would help to spread God’s love in the world.
We are lucky that very many persons who were Bishop GMP Okoye’s active collaborators are still alive and most of them are present here for this celebration. They can tell us more about this period of history.
3. FIRST VOCATIONS
During that sojourn in Ukpor in 1969, with the support of some of his friends, Bishop G.M.P. Okoye started gathering around him some girls, who were at different levels of education, to form the foundation members of the new institute. Philomena Udora who later became Mother Ifechukwu Udora (first Superior General of the Congregation, who was elected even when on temporary vows and a student in a university) was one of these members. Anastasia Uwalaka who later became Mother Angela Uwalaka (the second Superior General was a University graduate) was another. There were those who had come from secondary schools and others who had just completed or were in primary schools who joined this new Institute. It was a mixture of girls of different classes. Most of them wanted to live religious life but without clear idea of how to go about it. They were simply “raw materials” that would need master hand to shape into usable products.
4. OVERCOMING THE EARLY CHALLENGES
The war which started on 6 July 1967 ended formally on 15 January 1970. At the end of hostilities, those who were displaced during the civil war made their way back to their homes. The Catholic Bishops affected soon returned to their Sees, except two: Bishop John Cross Anyogu of Enugu, who died on 5 July 1967 (a day before the war began), and Bishop Godfrey Okoye who was no longer welcomed back to Port Harcourt after the war. Most of us know about the problem of the so-called “abandoned property” in the Rivers State after the civil war. Probably, the new institute Bishop GMP Okoye was founding was for Port Harcourt diocese. But now without an Episcopal See Bishop Okoye had to abandon himself to Divine Providence. About three months after the war, precisely on 7 March 1970, he was appointed Bishop of Enugu. He went to Enugu with his daughters. It was not easy to find his feet in the new place and to settle his daughters. Being a great visionary, he had already sent out two Sisters to Italy to prepare them as formators. These two Benedictine nuns after helping to establish the Daughters of Divine Love Congregation, became founders of two great Benedictine monasteries in Umuoji and Amorji Nike. On 4 November 1973, Bishop Okoye rolled out the first Daughters of Divine Love.
5. TRAGEDY: DEATH OF FOUNDER – BISHOP GMP OKOYE
Four years down the road, 17 March 1977, Bishop GMP Okoye suddenly died. It was at the time the members of his new Congregation were preparing for the highest number of novices for profession that this happened. No money left, no permanent abode built, no clear arrangement for the future, only six years plus as Bishop of Enugu, no clear line of relationship between the diocese and the new Congregation. As if that was not enough, the temporary building that sheltered the Daughters collapsed. They had to be moved to make-shift accommodation at Thinkers’ Corner. The future looked bleak. Some friends recommended that the Daughters of Divine Love institute disband and join other existing Congregations.
6. THE LOVE OF CHRIST COMPELS US
The Daughters decided to stick together and weather the storm. They remembered that biblical passage which their founder wrote on the sanctuary wall of his chapel in Port Harcourt and which he eventually gave as the motto of the Institute: “Caritas Christi urget nos”. It is the love of Christ that must push them forward to face the challenges of living out the spiritual legacy which their founder wanted to pass on to them. With St Paul the Daughters had the boldness to ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…. (N)either death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Rom. 8,35.37-39). In the coming years, the Daughters must go on sowing the seeds of God’s love wherever they find themselves.
7. GENEROSITY OF FRIENDS
For the first profession immediately after the death of Bishop Okoye, which took place on 10 December 1977, many people rallied round to support. The Daughters with grateful hearts remember that Archbishop (now Cardinal) Francis Arinze, the then Metropolitan of the whole Eastern Nigeria, gave them One Thousand Pounds sterling, the Immaculate Heart Sisters Congregation gave them the cloth material for the habit, the Catholic Men and Women Organisations of Enugu diocese came out and gave them huge support. On the day of profession, Bishops Joseph Ukpo and Lucas Nwezeapu officiated and assured them of their support. The government of Governor Jim Nwobodo eventually gave them a piece of land they can today call their own.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, dear Children of God, from about 70 Daughters when Bishop GMP Okoye died, the Congregation has grown to over 900 members. The Daughters themselves described their experience: “clutching on the oars of the God of love and Divine Providence, we were able to surf the crest of the overwhelming storms of the past.” This is a miracle before our eyes! And when you ask, what is making these women respond in large numbers to serve the Lord, their answer has always been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos.
The generosity of individuals and groups has kept on flowing to the Daughters. I doubt if they will be able to have accurate record of the names of all their supporters. Today and always they present these their benefactors and benefactresses around the world to the Lord. May God bless these great men and women who have helped the Daughters to spread Christ’s love in the world.
8. IN THANKSGIVING FOR THE GIFT OF THE D.D.L.
In the words of Isaiah, which we heard in today’s first reading, we join the Daughters to “recount the merciful love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted” them, “and the great goodness…which He has granted them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of His steadfast love” (Is. 63,7-9).
We rejoice because the Daughters of this great institute of God’s love have made the Church visible in many parts of the world through their varied apostolates: Education, Healthcare, Rehabilitation, Pastoral work, Social work, Culinary and Liturgical arts, and Hospitality centers. In our country, the Daughters are present in almost all the archdioceses and dioceses of Nigeria. Outside, they are present in the following countries: Austria, Cameroon, Chad, Cuba, England, France, Gabon, Germany, Haiti, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mali, Scotland, Switzerland and the United States of America. Why are the Daughters in these places? Their answer has always been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. The Daughters go to places where the manifestation of God’s love is needed.
We thank the Lord for the gift of this living Institute of God’s love. Umu Titi Bishop Okoye have distinguished themselves as the first Congregation that initiated self-help —the practice of non-employment of domestic staff in the convents. They do the cooking and all the house chores themselves and they serve one another in their convents. Why do they devote time to one another? Their answer has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. Christ came to serve and not to be served. They must manifest God’s love in their convents because it is needed there.
The Daughters are found in slums and areas of primary evangelization. When they are invited or they themselves are directed to new areas of apostolate, they do not negotiate terms that make them stay in comfort, as some religious Congregations here in Nigeria do. Sometimes they accept to work without favourable “deals”.
They are among the first Congregations in Nigeria that developed projects to support themselves. We remember the DRACCs and BORACC, and similar projects. Like St Paul, the tent maker (Acts 18,3), they do not want to bring extra burden on the people. One may ask: Why? Their reply has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos.
In commitment to the land of their mission, the Daughters have a lesson to teach others. In most Congregations in Nigeria, when a member dies in a foreign land, the remains are repatriated. In the case of the Daughters of Divine Love, a missionary “rests in peace” among her people in the mission land. Sr Oluchi Obikwelu was buried in Cuba; Sr Theresa Ihejiagwa and Sr Udochukwu Odoemena were both buried in USA. May the souls of these Daughters buried in foreign land and the souls of all the departed Daughters of Divine Love through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace. Amen. These are heroines of the Nigerian Church. We make our contribution to the mission. We are tenacious. We are committed. And when we ask the Daughters why they are so committed in the place of their mission, their answer has been and still is: Caritas Christi urget nos. In manifesting this Christ’s love, the Daughters offer all to God, including their lifeless bodies.
9. LOOKING FORWARD
Beloved Daughters, fifty years have swiftly passed. We thank the Lord. You have weathered many storms. Please take note. As we move forward in the mission of the Church in the world, our Lord Jesus Christ assures us of reward of hard work but does not promise a life of comfort. His Cross is always before us. We are assured that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Mat. 11,30) In the next fifty years, with more members joining your Congregation, I recommend that you prepare yourselves very well by constantly reflecting on how best to handle
- the challenge of discernment of vocations
- the challenge of unity and cohesion,
- the challenge of old age and sickness of members
- the challenge of dealing with age gap between members
- and as you go to distant lands, the challenge of managing influence of many cultures on members.
10. IN PRAYER
Our prayer is that the Lord who has called you to this apostolate, may grant you all the graces that you may need in order to remain truly instruments of Christ’s abiding love on earth. May your founder, the great Bishop GMP Okoye, intercede for you. May his words continue to inspire and lead you on. Amen.